How Forever Found Us: Part One
by Jill Annette
Summary: SILVER MILLENNIUM. You might think you know the real story, but the truth is you only know a part of it. There is too much history to learn, unless you hear it from someone who witnessed it all, someone like me: the Keeper of Time.
1. Prologue

How Forever Found Us

_Part One: The Silver Millennium_

Written by Jill Annette

**PROLOGUE  
Start of the Silver Millennium**

You might think you know the real story, but the truth is you only know a part of it. There is so much history to learn. There are so many years which pass through one reign to another. There are too many names, places and dates to remember every specific detail, unless—maybe—you hear it from someone who witnessed it all; someone who is familiar with the people as time itself—someone like me, the Keeper of Time. I saw what happened before the princess's first breath and well past her last. I am known as Pluto or even Setsuna if you have passed me on the streets of Earth. A highly unlikely occurrence, for I am never to leave my post—though I have left once, but that is not where we will begin our story.

It begins before the sun was set afire and Apollo was sent to his home for an eternity of hell. The sun was a mountainous place. Its surface covered with an abundance of life. When the sun was livable, there was no known sort of hunger. The lands of the sun were always bountiful and the Sun Kingdom freely gave away the excess for the entire universe. No one knew suffering. Our story however, is not about the sun or its kingdom (not entirely). At this moment in time, our place of residence is the moon.

Queen Serenity was no ordinary ruler. She ruled a kingdom that seemingly never aged. Even the elderly had youthfulness about them. Serenity herself was reaching a hundred and fifty years old when she was crowned but to her people she was still very young. The people of the moon would physically age until their twenty-fifth birthday. Then their youth would stay with them for the majority of their life. Moonlings were not immortal but they could live well past a thousand years. Only in their last hundred years did their bodies start to deteriorate.

People of the moon learned to cope with death early on in their life, seeing a good number of lives taken from others of different planets with a much shorter lifespan—especially those from Earth who, on average lived a few hundred years. Only three men on record of earth lived past 900 and one known never to die but instead taken to his Heaven to live eternally.

Queen Serenity fell in love with Apollo of the sun. They had been betrothed since birth and love found them throughout their childhood, a rarity indeed. Apollo was raised to be a great fighter, enabled to defend both kingdoms. Queen Serenity herself, like most women of this time, was raised to be a ruler. When they were married, the Queen was immensely happy. Her destiny was finally fulfilled. She was starting the life she was born to have and nothing could keep her from it. Or so she thought.

Planet Nemesis came from a different galaxy, eons away. Its target was the sun, the Milky Way Galaxy's strength. Without it, the galaxy would be able to flourish no more. Because it was his home, Apollo kissed his queen farewell and led the armies of the sun to fight the demons from his lands. However, the monsters of Nemesis were far greater than anyone had imagined. The planet from outside the region of our planets held much more power than the beings of this galaxy could anticipate. Their magic alone is what set the sun ablaze and it continues to burn millions of years later.

When the Queen heard of her husband's death, she was devastated. For days she locked herself up in her quarters and wept. She lost the one thing most precious to her. What brought the queen out of her stupor was the day she found out about the little boy inside of her. I say a boy because that is what Queen Serenity knew she would have, because what else could she? The fitting role for her baby to make was a boy who looked like the father he would never meet; golden hair, bright green eyes and copper toned skin. Queen Serenity would have nothing other than a bright boy.

That was until the baby was born and a girl took the dreams of her baby boy away. There was milky white skin, glowing with brilliance and her own blue eyes staring back at her. The only thing Apollo left behind was a determined chin and that gorgeous golden mane. Because Queen Serenity did not think of the possibility of having a daughter, she thought not of a name. This is how Princess Serenity the Second came into the world, named after her mother, the greatest ruler of the moon.

Princess Serenity, whose name quickly was shortened to Sere by those closest to the royal family to reduce confusion, was appointed four guardians from other planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter. Her guardians were immortals of their worlds. Immortals were a rare breed and hard to come by but it was not too hard for the Queen to find the best for her daughter.

Today, immortals are thought of as a myth, only found in fairy tales and vampire novels. Let me tell you this now, like dragons, unicorns and dinosaurs, they once survived in this galaxy. However, unlike those creatures, immortals still exist; they just learned how to hide the truth from others. How can I say this so assuredly? Well, if I was there to see the birth of Serenity II and I'm here telling you the story today, I guess I would still have to be alive.

The princess's guardians were goddesses of their own right. Ami of Mercury was petite; she was probably the most peculiar because she kept her hair as short as a boy's. Her hair was the color of most Mercutians, a shade of blue that matched the oceans of their land and her eyes were brown like its soil. Ami loved to educate herself in the history and current issues of the universe and was found to spend most of her leisure time with her nose in a book or in politics. Minako of Venus was golden. Her hair was light, white blond, her eyes a remarkable shade of periwinkle, she almost seemed devoid of any vibrant color except for her skin which shone beautifully. Minako was a people watcher and picked up on a lot of things others did not—for instance, who liked who. Rei of Mars had dark hair and violet eyes. Her eyes sparked when agitated and some people found it easier to let her go about her own business. Rei, when able, read the fires of the world to gain her knowledge of the places and people around her. Makoto of Jupiter was an earthy being. She stood taller than the rest of the girls, her hair a dark brown and eyes shone a pure green. Makoto was a huntress and a lover of all creatures.

Together the girls created the perfect being to protect the queen's daughter, the moon's own princess. Though Princess Sere was not the boy the queen had hoped for, she was still better than anything Queen Serenity could hope for. If truth be told, the Queen would not know what to do if something were to happen to the beautiful girl she bore nine months after the death of the love of her life.


	2. Welcome to the Moon

How Forever Found Us

_Part One: Silver Millennium_

Written by Jill Annette

**CHAPTER ONE  
Welcome to the Moon**

Nemesis disappeared after it set the sun on fire but it would be years before the evil would be forgotten. However, unlike the inhabitants of the planet thought, what was left of the universe did not cave into chaos. The other planets learned to use more of its land for vegetation and found other ways to nourish their beings besides being so dependant. Soon they found that the burning of the sun helped the growth of the vegetation. In a way it seemed as if the spirits of the sun were still protecting the planets.

As for Queen Serenity and the princess, the years flew by quickly. Sere grew into her guardians nicely. They became best friends and did practically everything together. Now, the princess was a wonderer and she kept her guardians on their toes with where ever she may have gone off to. Sere was constantly being lost and found. She was a curious soul and well, you know how that can go.

It was near the princess's sixteenth birthday when the queen decided it was time to start looking for a suitor for her daughter. Queen Serenity grew an interest Princess Kakyuu's eldest son to marry her daughter. Kakyuu, however, would never give a definite answer, for she was untraditional and believed that her children should pick who they would like to marry. So the queen decided that her children should come as much as they like. Because the queen and Princess Kakyuu were such good friends to begin with, it did not take much effort from Queen Serenity's part to get the whole bunch over.

Seiya was eighteen, Taiki sixteen and Yaten fifteen. The three brothers looked nothing alike, save their noses held the exact same shape. When they were guests at the palace, Sere got moody. The only person she truly liked out of the bunch was Yaten and that was only because he did not pick on her like the other two—especially Seiya.

"You know your mom wants me to marry you," he would taunt when they were younger. Taiki would stand beside him making kiss faces and then they would both follow with laughter. Yaten would stay off to the side, his head bowed while his brothers were around. Once they left, Yaten would apologize for them.

Sere however would have none of it. She would not accept Yaten's apologies for them but she did take notice that Yaten wanted to keep peace between everyone. As they grew older, the taunting slowed down a bit and insults grew. "Maybe if you weren't so scrawny I would take your mother up on the whole ordeal." Seiya would say.

This would leave the princess huffing about, embarrassed by the remarks made. Somehow, the four made some sort of a friendship. They learned throughout the years to tolerate each other because they knew there would be no way they could escape. Queen Serenity tried her hardest to have her daughter grow feelings for Seiya and vice versa but it never seemed she would grow the slightest liking to him.

Hope started to leave the queen of her daughter ever falling for Seiya when the Earth Prince came to sign a waiver for the kingdom. The prince was twenty and just given rights from his father to help out with the politics of his kingdom. He was only to sign the papers if he felt convinced that the moon would be a good alliance. Endymion's father trusted him to make right what generations ago destroyed between the two kingdoms: trust for one another.

He was greeted at the gates of the Moon Kingdom by a couple, Luna and Artemis, the queen's two councils. They promptly handed him a ream of paper bound together with an unfamiliar form of glue. Endymion glanced over it quickly as he followed the two inside the castle.

"The queen wants a friendship with Earth again," Luna began as she led them down a long hallway. The soles of their shoes echoed repeatedly off the concrete walls. "The renewal of the bond must be definite and stronger than before."

"I understand," the prince said and followed the couple up a flight of stairs. "But you cannot expect me to just read over a bunch of papers and then make a decision."

Luna chuckled, "My boy, you have a lot to learn."

The shock of the informality made Endymion's eyes widen, but somehow he felt comfortable. He let the mishap slide, mainly because Artemis spoke up before the prince could say anything about it.

"No, the papers, your highness, are for you to read all that the queen proposes. Then she will set up a couple meetings over the next few days to talk about the alliance. If you feel we are sincere, you sign and we become what we used to be: friends, partners, and allies, whatever you will." Artemis explained. "Just to give you my opinion, no matter what the outcome, you cannot get rid of us. We are, of course, your nightlight."

Prince Endymion nodded.

"Well, Prince Endymion," Luna spoke up as she opened the door, "these are your quarters for the remainder of your stay. The rule is, when you are out of the meeting room you are to make yourself at home." Luna almost had the door completely shut when she stuck her head back in the door and smiled, "Oh, and dinner is at six o'clock sharp."

Again, Endymion nodded and began to wonder how exactly he got in this predicament. He set the papers on a desk near a set of glass doors that overlooked the moon's ocean. Its water was not blue like that of Earth or Mercury; instead they were perfectly clear and from what he learned in the schools of Earth, deadly to earthlings. He opened the double doors and stepped onto the terrace and breathed in the air.

The air was much different on the moon than the Earth. It is much heavier despite what you might think. Not with humidity either, just a heavier form of oxygen. So different from that of Earth in fact, Prince Endymion had to take a little blue pill when every so often to help his lungs breathe.

He heard laughter brought up by the wind and found a group of girls on the rocky shores of the ocean. They were all dressed elegantly and they walked at a leisurely pace. Sandals were carried in the hands of the girl that seemingly lead the others. As he watched, three gentlemen sauntered up to the group of girls and joined them. The tallest male wrapped an arm around the blond that lead the group for a moment before pushing her away.

The blond stumbled a little before righting herself and crossed her arms. Prince Endymion laughed when the girl stuck her tongue out in self-defense, all elegance lost on her. He closed the doors again, back inside is room. Deciding now was a better time than never Endymion sat down at the desk and began to read the queen's proposal.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Queen Serenity watched Seiya flirt with her daughter just like she had been throughout the years. However, her daughter seemed to find his flirtations downright aggravating. Time after time Sere had come in to tell her that all Seiya was good for was tormenting her and she did not understand why she had to put up with it every time he came to visit. Sere really did not understand why the queen wanted her to marry Seiya anyway. Time after time Queen Serenity had explained to her daughter the reason for marriage was convenience. If Sere were to marry Seiya, one day she would help rule the stars as well as the moon. Still, Princess Sere was adamant about keeping her distance from Seiya and _never_ would she _ever_ marry him. At least that is what she always told her mother.

"Cute are they not?" Queen Serenity asked her friend.

Kakyuu said not a word but raised an eyebrow instead.

It was about that time Luna and Artemis knocked on the door to announce their presence before ascending the steps up to the gazebo where Princess Kakyuu and Queen Serenity were perched. "The prince of Earth is here." Artemis announced.

The queen nodded, "Thank you." Then, looking to her friend, she said, "I guess after tonight it is all about business."

"It was a pleasant stay," Kakyuu said, "as always."

"If you will excuse me," the Queen stood and bowed her head to the princess who did the same. "Until next time."

Their stays at the palace were always when the queen had no prior arrangements; it was a custom they had grown used to. Rarely was the queen ever able to leave her kingdom and visit Kakyuu, so instead they came to the moon during the days Queen Serenity had no business to attend to. Kakyuu waited until the queen descended the stairs completely before she went to fetch her boys so they could go home.

-.-.-.-.-.-

The water glowed today because of the light from the sun. Princess Serenity found it hard to believe that just seventeen years ago, before her mother even found out she was pregnant, the sun was not on fire. The magnificent flames that lit the universe were so bright; she could only believe that the sun had forever burned. To top it all off, the father she had never met was part of the war between the Sun Kingdom and Planet Nemesis that had lasted merely weeks. Supposedly, the war was ongoing today but Nemesis was nowhere to be found.

Sere's best friends followed her along the rocky shores. They were to be with her no matter where she went. The only time Sere found herself alone was when she escaped them or at night went she slept. For the most part it was nice, the princess was always promised a companion but even as her guardians were her best friends, they still fought. Besides they were much older than she, although they looked to be her peers.

The ocean was calming to Princess Serenity. Her soul and mind were at peace when she walked this path. Waves crashed into the rocks and the seagulls that were imported from earth had been genetically enhanced for the moon's waters called for one another. Sere could never truly explain the emotions the shores of her kingdom stirred in her.

She could tell you however, the feelings were much better than those that a certain black headed boy ever stirred. Seiya sauntered up to her, his brothers close behind. Taiki with a smirk held firmly on his mouth and Yaten trailing behind both. Seiya threw an arm around the Princess's shoulders and started to walk with her. She knew he could feel her tense up at his touch but she could not stop herself.

Seiya chuckled and lowered his mouth to her ear, "You better get used to it, especially if we get married."

"We are not getting married," Serenity confirmed.

"Oh but your mother has different plans." Sometimes it seemed as if his mischievous smile never left his lips. "And if we do get married, I shall be expecting quite a bit more from you."

Princess Serenity's eyes widened and the blood rushed to her face. With her pale moon skin she turned red, even at the slightest blush. Seiya laughed and pushed her away. Not expecting the playful shove, the princess stumbled a couple steps before she was able to catch her footing again. She stuck her tongue out at Seiya because she could not think of any thing better to do and crossed her arms. Pouting never really worked on Seiya but again she could not help herself.

Princess Kakyuu arrived moments after Sere tucked her lip back in and started to continue her stroll down the beach. Sere turned back to watch Kakyuu gather her boys and told them they were leaving.

"Bye-bye princess!" Seiya called behind him.

Princess Serenity raised a hand to wave him off. "Good riddance," she muttered under her breath.


	3. Amongst the Roses

How Forever Found Us

_Part One: The Silver Millennium_

Written by Jill Annette

**CHAPTER TWO  
Amongst the Roses**

Queen Serenity summoned Prince Endymion early the next morning to consider their alliance. She was sitting high in her chair once he entered the conference hall. He bowed politely before he sat down in the chair a servant had waiting for him. Queen Serenity smiled at the man before her.

"Sorry for last night's scene," she apologized once he had settled himself in the chair.

Endymion waved it off, "No matter, I have sisters myself. They know how to throw quite a show."

The queen laughed at his comment. "Well, I hoped you slept better than you ate."

At dinner the night before, Princess Serenity had an outburst. Once again she complained about Seiya – forget the fact that the royal family had a guest in their midst—and she said understood naught why her mother was so adamant about her marrying the poor soul.

"Don't you ever notice how he torments me so, mother!" the princess cried.

Queen Serenity sighed, her fingers found the tender spot at her temples and massaged the muscle as tried to explain the importance of marriage to certain people for the hundredth time. "Think of the achievements you can accomplish with your marriage to Seiya; the great things it would bring to both kingdoms."

Sere huffed, crossed her arms and retorted, "I think it a silly idea!"

The queen leaned forward in her seat, perhaps to get a better look at her daughter as she asked, "How is it silly?"

"Oh I don't know mother," Sere threw her arms in the air. "Whatever happened to love?"

Queen Serenity waved her hand in the air, knocking the princess's words about. "Nonsense, love you can find in a marriage. Love grows."

Princess Serenity stood up, her chair grated against the floor. "That is preposterous!"

"You, child, are acting absurd," Queen Serenity's words grew stern. "Can you not see we have a guest at the table?"

Princess Serenity's open mouth shut fast. Her lips were pursed, her eyes glowing fierce. "I am sorry sire, that you must witness this," she apologized before turning her gaze back to her mother. "But she must realize that I want love first in a relationship, especially if it will be a man that I intend to live the rest of my life with."

"Enough of that," commanded the queen. "You will sit down and eat your food. You should consider yourself lucky you are not someone from Earth. They marry their children off at a younger age than you are right now without ever meeting their future husbands. Am I not right, Prince Endymion?"

The prince choked on his food when he was addressed. After he swallowed the piece of meat, he spoke with a nod, "If they are not married, they are at least engaged."

Queen Serenity raised an eyebrow, "See, I rest my case. You, child, are not even truly engaged."

"Thank God for that," Princess Sere muttered under her breath.

If the queen heard her daughter, she acted like she did not. Instead she turned the conversation over to another topic and left her daughter to fume in silence.

Prince Endymion smiled, "It was a pleasant sleep."

"Good." The queen nodded and continued, "Now, down to business. What did you think of my proposal?"

Endymion shifted in his seat, "While you offer friendship and protection from an evil we have not seen in seventeen years, you do not mention anything about other wars that may happen in the future. Does your only concern chance on the fact that Nemesis may return?"

Queen Serenity smiled at the man in front of her. "I underestimated you," she said truthfully. "It is not often I find a person who actually notices what is not on the paper before him. You on the other hand take in the bigger picture. I like that." The queen stood up and walked around the table as she spoke. "In this universe we have nine planets and many more moons – of which this moon is the only one inhabited. There have been wars raging on each planet since the beginning of time and only one known Universe War. When one planet attacks another, we divide up – the solar system is in chaos. Hatred fills every corner. With my papers you sign, not only does it mend our broken promise ages ago, a millennia before I was even thought of, it also plans to bind all our planets as one."

His eyes stayed on Queen Serenity as she spoke. Her words were fluent in his native tongue as if she had spoken it her entire life. Endymion listened intently as the queen talked of her proposal that she had bound for him to read the night before. He knew the queen was much older than she looked; creatures of the moon – though they looked much like Earthlings – were strange beings.

Take the queen for example. Here was a woman who looked no older than twenty-three – when in truth she was nearly pressing one hundred-and-seventy-five years. She was crowned queen close to a hundred-and-fifty years old, married a few years after to the sun king and birthed the princess at one-fifty-five; much different than that of the Earth people. It was something Endymion was not sure he would ever be able to wrap his head around before his death.

However, there the queen stood in front of him, dressed to her best in silver garments that did no justice to her silver hair. Her skin, just like her daughter and most inhabitants of the moon was pale, as if their skin had never soaked up any sun in their entire life. Endymion almost laughed at the thought, though he was not old enough to remember, he knew that phrase had not been used until a little over a decade.

"You think what I say is a joke?" The queen asked, her eyes boring him down.

Prince Endymion cleared his head, "No, sorry, my mind must have wondered a bit."

Frustration was evident in the queen's voice as she decided to call the meeting done for the day. She focused in on Endymion when she spoke her final words, "I do hope you do not make light of this situation."

Endymion shook his head. "I do not. It is just that you talk of a power that only you hold to connect all of the kingdoms together, as if yours is the strongest and able to protect all."

"Maybe it is."

"Maybe," Endymion rubbed his chin with his forefinger contemplating what the queen was saying. "If you enlighten me about this power, it might be easier to accept what you ask for."

Queen Serenity picked up the folds of her dress as she walked towards the door, "Prince Endymion, you have a curiosity much like my daughter. You must not know everything to get around in this universe. There is only so much you need to know to survive. Some knowledge can kill."

With that the queen left the conference room and left Endymion to think about what she meant. He sat at the table a while longer, tapping his fingers on the glass top in thought. What is it that the queen is hiding from the others?

-.-.-.-.-.-

The castle gardens were filled with roses. A rainbow of color stretched from one end of the corner to the other. In the center a magnificent gazebo that overlooked the entire lot. Princess Serenity found herself standing in the gazebo amazed at the blooms of the flowers this time of year. After walking the castle grounds for hours, she decided to rest her weary feet.

Her mother did not understand her feelings. She claims love grows in a relationship but Sere wanted it from the start. Even her mother had love, Sere knew it. The way her mother would look when talking about her father was evidence enough. Her ring finger was empty at the moment; Sere rubbed the spot of her left hand where a ring would find its place in a matter of a year or two. She sighed at the thought of marrying Seiya. What did her mother ever possibly see in him?

There was a crunch of rocks at the base of the gazebo, which made Sere's head shoot up. It was not the girls, Sere knew that. She could tell when the girls were coming near because of their constant chatter. Today she had escaped them during archery lessons when the professor was not looking and all the other girls were enraptured by his lecture. Sometimes, Sere thought it was amusing what the girls had not learned though they had been around for hundreds of years—even longer than her own mother.

"Who is there?" Princess Serenity called.

When she received no answer, Sere stood from the center of the gazebo and slowly stepped down the stairs that lead up to the covered area. Her head was craned to the side as she tried to look around the back of the structure but she saw no one. Again she heard the sound of the gravel rubbing together on the other side of a lattice of dark red roses. With eyes narrowed, the princess advanced on the target of her curiosity.

"I demand an answer," Sere said sternly. "Who is there?"

A black patch of hair poked around the roses, followed by dazzling blue eyes and a mouth that said, "Just another wonderer I suppose."

"Oh it is you," Serenity quipped.

"Oh?" Endymion asked, "It is me?" He smirked stepping fully around the flowers and advanced towards the princess. "Is that how you greet royalty?"

With a roll of her eyes, Sere bowed. "I'm sorry, your highness."

He laughed a loud. "There is no need to get all sarcastic about it."

Serenity stood and clasped her hands behind her back, a triumphant smile plastered on her face. The prince towered over her so much so, that she felt her neck was craning all the way back just so she could look at his face.

Endymion on the other hand looked past her towards the gazebo and then around the gardens. "Where are your guardians, should they be with you?"

Serenity shrugged. "Where are yours?"

"My guardians?" he asked.

She nodded, "You did not come with any protection?"

"I have generals, all assigned to their own duties," he explained. "They do not necessarily follow me around constantly."

"You did not answer my question."

"I brought one with me," Endymion answered.

Serenity looked around; much like the prince had moments ago when he looked for her guardians. "I do not see any general."

"He is around. You do not have to worry your pretty little head about it."

"In that case, my guardians are around."

Endymion laughed again, "Is that the kind of answer I get?"

"Just because you are royalty, does not mean you get exactly what you want," Princess Serenity smarted.

Prince Endymion she liked; he did not seem to care much for formalities. Also, he was easy to amuse and he had something to say back which made it all the more fun.

"How do you mean?"

"I could give you the moon if you wanted," she started. "That much is easy enough. However, even as I am of the sun as well, I could not give you that." She paused as she glanced up at the prince. "If the sun is what you wanted."

He looked into the sky at the setting sun as he took in her words.

"It will be twenty-nine and a half days before the sun starts to rise again." Serenity said from behind him. "Something else you are not used to."

Endymion dropped his gaze to the princess. He wondered what she meant by that. Was she saying that he was a spoiled man for thinking he could get what he wanted? And how did the conversation get to that? Was she not last night just on a soap box about what she wanted? "You should listen to yourself when you talk."

"Why?" Serenity asked, "I am perfectly used to not seeing the sun for nearly a month at a time."

"I meant about what you said earlier," the prince explained. "You do not always get what you want. You cried out for love before marriage to your mother. Does what you talk about not include the want of love?"

Princess Serenity began to shake her head—_How__dare he stoop that low_?—when a rustling came from the other side of the gardens. Girls' voices were heard calling for their princess. "I must go," she said as she looked over her shoulder. "My guardians have found me."

Prince Endymion nodded.

"I am truly sorry about my actions last night," Serenity stated before she turned on her heel. "Tonight I will attempt to bite my tongue and not ruin your dinner."

He watched the young girl scurry off in the direction of her guardians who called for her.


	4. Ginzuishou Is Found

How Forever Found Us

_Part One: The Silver Millennium_

Written by Jill Annette

**CHAPTER THREE  
Ginzuishou is Found**

"Can I entrust you with a secret, Prince Endymion?" Queen Serenity asked.

The dark headed prince was not sure how to respond. Should he say yes, find it is treacherous to the government and turn her in? Or say no and miss out on an opportune moment? His mind reeled over the possibilities of what the queen might spring on him but he could not think of one. However, he did know it had to do with the power she talked about yesterday.

"I suppose you think you cannot answer truthfully without hearing what I have to say first," the queen sighed.

Prince Endymion tilted his head to the side. "I promise not to say a word of it—no matter what—as long as it is not treachery."

"A noble man as well." The queen asked everyone else in the room to leave; when the door shut behind the last person she set a rock on the glass table. The rock shimmered iridescent, rainbows of light hitting every visible surface in the room—the rock was an extraordinary diamond. It was nearly as big as the queen's fist, the size of her heart. She watched Endymion carefully as he took in the object placed on the table. To most anyone else, this diamond would bring in a fortune to their homes. To Queen Serenity it was more than just a diamond, it was a weapon, a means to end the war—a way to defeat Nemesis should it choose to ever show its face again.

With his fingers tapping his chin as he inspected the diamond, Endymion asked, "What is this supposed to mean to me?"

"You see a huge diamond: a wonderful gift, a means to make some extra money, perhaps." Queen Serenity's hand hovered above the extra clear surface of the diamond. "However, that is not the case. This diamond is known as the Imperial Crystal: the ginzuishou."

In the slight pause of the queen's words, Endymion spoke up, "I do not see silver in any of the facets."

The queen's eyes shot up to Endymion. "So, you understand the ginzuishou is a mystical silver crystal?"

Endymion nodded, "All the other ginzuishou I have seen actually illuminate silver. Yours is perfectly clear save the reflections of light."

"You catch on quick." The queen, her hand still centimeters above the diamond, curled her fingers as if she were about to cup the diamond. 'My ginzuishou is pure: free of anything that could be harmful. It is to be used for the good of all living creatures or it will become tarnished and useless."

Not quite sure where the queen was going with this speech, Endymion shifted in his seat. His eyes widened when the diamond started to levitate off the table, suspended between the glass and the queen's outstretched hand.

With a quick movement of her wrist, the ginzuishou now floated above her palm. A light shimmered from the core of the diamond: silver. "As you see, here is the silver you had looked for earlier. This is my power. That is my secret."

"You want me to keep this a secret?"

With another swipe of her wrist the ginzuishou disappeared—to where, he may never know—and Queen Serenity's eyes hardened. "Have you not listened to a word I have said? People would steal it to use its power for wrong doing and in turn kill the stone! I plan to protect it."

"I will keep your secret," he said, shifting in his seat again. The gem before him scared the devil out of him—even if he had not yet seen its full power. "I just want to know, why me?"

Queen Serenity sat in the seat across from him instead of in her high seat. She leaned forward, ignoring the silver hair that fell about her, as she spoke to Endymion, "Because you are hard headed and I have to find a way to convince you I mean to do well for this universe."

The prince nodded, and then he shrugged with one arm, holding his hand palm up for just a moment. "Suppose I do not sign this. Suppose I decide against this alliance." He caught the queen's bright blue eyes, "What happens then?"

Queen Serenity leaned back in her chair; folded her arms in front of her but she never lost eye contact. "Suppose you do not. The Earth may not be protected. If war breaks loose on your world, no one would be there to help and then what would happen of Earth?"

"We have defended ourselves a great deal over the years."

The queen nodded, "So you have." She rose once again to fetch those she told to leave earlier who recorded what was said in the conference. When she reached the door she stopped and turned around. "You know, the Sun Kingdom defended itself quite well, too. Nemesis, however, tore it to shreds and set it on fire in days. If Nemesis came for your planet, how would you protect yourself then?"

-.-.-.-.-.-

Click-clacks of high heeled shoes echoed throughout the long dark hallway, slowly, as if the bearer had no care in the world. Layers of black and burgundy skirts hid the shoes that made so much noise in the otherwise quiet castle. A tight black corset of sorts—buckled and belted and tied in random places—gave form to the woman it encased. Dark ebony hair fell past the woman's elbows in rich waves. A crown of gold grew from her head like vines and because of this she stood tall. A single black opal was centered in the front of the golden crown that shined proud. The only thing light about the woman, besides the rainbow flecks that shone in the opal, were her eyes: peridot green.

The front doors of the castle seemed to open on their own for the mistress who lived in it but she knew well there were servants cowering in the shadows. If you thought it was dark inside, outside was not much better. Trees were leafless, the ground dry and brown: the only hope of life depended on the small puddle of water in front of the castle grounds.

Our mistress of this dismal planet threw her hand out to the water, in response it glowed. "I call on you Lethe and Mnemosyne, it is time."

The water split in two and each puddle rose in the form of two young girls. It took shape and color and the lives of the girls appeared before the queen's very eyes. Twins they were, one dressed head to toe in teal, the other purple. Their eyes were grey, hair strawberry blond. Both wore a tiara with a smaller version of the queen's black opal centered on their forehead.

"Our mother!" Mnemosyne cried as her eyes gained their focus on the world around her.

"Our queen," Lethe corrected, as she bowed obediently as if no time had passed at all.

Mnemosyne quickly followed her sister and bowed so low her skirt that only went as far as the middle of her thigh brushed the ground. "Queen Metallia."

Metallia held her head high, "Girls, come back inside, quit playing around."

The two girls smiled deviously at one another before clasping hands and following their queen inside the castle doors. They had wondered how long it would take for them to have to wait until the powers were found again. Queen Metallia was furious when the crystal she scanned for wound up missing once they made it to the sun nearly two decades ago. In her rage, Metallia started a fire that has never been known to go out—not in twenty years. That is how furious she was at the loss of _her_ ginzuishou.

More than half their population died in the fires as well as the sun's inhabitants in the queen's haste to leave once she realized the crystal was no longer on the planet. All they needed was for it to be used, no matter how slight the power generated from the crystal, Metallia's scanners could pick it up.

Inside the entrance of the castle Queen Metallia spun around to face her daughters—her servants. Her glowing green eyes help hope, or something like it. "The ginzuishou has been found. Still it is in the midst of the Milky Way." The queen turned back around, her heels hit the floor and echoed off the ceiling. "Finding the crystal means it has been used and _that_ means life still exists. There is something more powerful than the sun that keeps those sad souls alive."

Lethe and Mnemosyne stood at the side of their queen as she explained what she had found out. Mnemosyne grabbed her sister's arm for strength as Queen Metallia continued.

"I have the quadrants of where the power might seep. I need you two to stand by and wait for further instructions, understand?"

"Yes," Lethe took a step closer to the queen as she answered for both her and her sister, obviously the stronger of the two.

"Once I find the specific location we will begin our travels back to the Milky Way."

-.-.-.-.-.-

Surprisingly, the earth illuminated the moon. Everything seemed to be masked in blue and night on the moon was much different than night on Earth. Lights were up everywhere, the Moon Kingdom was still alive even at night. Then again, Prince Endymion guessed, he supposed the people would not sleep for twenty-nine days either.

He meandered through the courtyards after dinner, anything to be out of the confinements of the castle. Being outdoors was much more welcoming to him than staying cooped up anywhere inside. At home, he spent the majority of his time in the stables or practicing his swordsmanship. However, there were no stables here and he had seen not a soul brandishing a sword.

"Prince Endymion!"

The dark headed prince turned as his name was called. Princess Serenity in all her glory and utter lack of grace, rushed up to him. She smiled as she caught up and took deep breaths. "Are you okay?"

Sere nodded, "Yes, you disappear so quickly."

"I did not know I was being looked for," he answered truthfully.

Princess Serenity stepped beside him and soon they were once again walking. "It is said that the love between the prince and princess will destroy the universe."

Endymion glanced at the girl beside him. "What are you talking about?"

"I read it in a book once," Sere replied. "It is a curse of soul mates. Sad is it not?"

He shrugged. The path curved to the right a bit and into a hallway of hedges. Princess Serenity seemed to know where she was going so the prince simply followed her.

"Do you believe in soul mates?" she asked him forcing him out of his silence.

Endymion sighed, "No. It is too much like the question 'Do you believe in love at first sight?' It is completely ridiculous."

Sere shook her head. "Nor do I believe in love at first sight. However, I believe in the _possibility _of love at first sight."

"The possibility?" Endymion asked. He stopped to bend down and examine an extraordinary flower. The petals twisted itself into a spiral, not much of a plant but nothing he had ever seen before in his life.

"It is a moonflower. They do not grow anywhere else but here." Princess Serenity happily supplied the information. "You should see them when they bloom. They are yellow in the center and it spreads out in five points to the very edges but the rest of the petals are white. These, are my favorite flower."

He extended a finger to caress the stem of the plant. "When does it bloom?"

"When the sun is up," Sere continued down the path, leaving Endymion behind. "I want to show you something."

Endymion stood, brushing his knees while he extended himself, and followed the princess as if she had commanded him to do so.

"I said I believe in the possibility of love at first," the princess started once Endymion caught up to her, "because well, if you put your mind and heart to it, you could love anyone you lay your eyes on. I am not saying it would be easy, I just know you can."

The prince smirked, "How are you so sure of this?"

Serenity turned to him. He caught her by the shoulders to keep from tripping over her as she stopped so abruptly he did not expect it. She took a few steps back to keep them both upright as he righted himself. Now, her back was brushing the edges of the thicket, Endymion centimeters from being pressed up against her. They were in a very compromising position and all Serenity thought to say was, "Hate would scour the world if love was not a possibility in a single look."

Endymion searched her eyes, innocent blue depths. "Are you saying you could love me?"

To keep herself from blushing, Serenity looked away for only a second—until she found the words she wanted to say. "I'm saying that you are an imbecile for not believing in soul mates."

He smirked, "Because of a possibility of love in a single glance."

"The two are twisted together, so much so I cannot explain it correctly. If you do not understand you simply will miss out on the best thing that could happen." Serenity leaned back, the twigs of the plants behind her scratching at her skin. Endymion was so close, almost too close for comfort. How did they end up in this position anyway? And why was neither of them moving? "What was the first thing that stood out in your mind when you came here?" She asked, instead of moving away from him like her conscious told her.

"The beach," he replied without hesitation.

Serenity smiled, "Any particular reason?"

It was then Endymion realized that the girl standing before him quite possibly was the girl on the beach he had watched. He took a step away from her as he shook his head to her answer. "The water is so different here," he answered unconvincingly. Ignoring Serenity's curious stare, Endymion asked, "So what is it you wanted to show me?"

With a sigh, Serenity took another turn in the pathway that lead to a round opening, flowers filled the center. "Why do you suppose the moonflower is stained with yellow?"

Endymion shrugged, "That is how Nature intended."

Serenity shook her head. "The legend has it, before my father died, moonflowers were solid white. Sunflowers, too, were a solid color. Like the moonflower's sole habitat is here on the moon, the sunflower's home was limited to the sun only. My mother loved the sunflower so my father brought them to her. She said they were as yellow as fire—as yellow as the sun burns today. However, these sunflowers are stained with white, just as the moonflower is stained with yellow."

The sunflowers towered above the princess but stood eye level with him. The edges of the flower, just as she said, were white. He touched the smooth petals, feeling their delicacy between the pads of his fingers.

When he did not say a word, Serenity spoke up once again, "The colors represent their souls molding together to become one."

"Too bad it is just a legend."

Serenity shook her head, "It is true! The evidence is before your very eyes."

"I have no doubt these flowers changed colors." Prince Endymion sighed. "It does not convince me, however, that soul mates do exist."

"I will have to prove you wrong then," Princess Serenity promised.


	5. Threats And Compliments

How Forever Found Us

_Part One: The Silver Millennium_

Written by Jill Annette

**CHAPTER FOUR  
Threats and Compliments**

Lord Rubeus and Lady Esmeraude were found in the tallest towers of the castle intertwined in each others arms by none other than Prince Demande himself. The two knew very well they were not supposed to be together but they were still drawn to each other. Demande cleared his throat as he entered the small room tearing the lord and lady from each other. Rubeus composed himself first and bowed at the waist in front of the future king. Esmeraude practically crawled across the floor to reach the man who gave her the huge emerald jewels on her necklace and bracelet and the ring on her left ring finger. Her black dress crumpled around her legs as she grabbed the prince's hands and brought them to her mouth.

"Forgive me," she whispered against his fingers. "You should not have seen that."

Prince Demande simply took his hand back from her grasp, placed his fingers underneath her chin and pulled until she stood to her full height in front of him. "You do not do well with groveling."

Esmeraude stood as proudly as she could in front of the man she had fought for. Her dark green eyes matched the emeralds that adorned her when they shone with unshed tears. If she kept going on the way she did, her affair with the prince would end and the ring on her finger would mean nothing, for a prince could not have a cheating wife.

"Rubeus, I hope you prove yourself worthy with the task I am about to give you," Demande said. He confidently strode up to the man with crimson hair and bright brown eyes. "You life will depend on it."

"Yes sire," the lord bowed once again, escaping the stone gaze.

"Queen Metallia has called us to her side of the kingdom. She needs help in acquiring a certain jewel." Demande looked back to Esmeraude who still stood tall where he left her standing. "If you could go gather what we need to make the journey."

"Do you not have servants for that sort of-"

"You will not mock me." Demande's dark gray eyes burned to the color of coal ashes. "Behind my back you play with my belongings and you are not grateful I let you live. If you want what I promised you before I caught you biting off more than you can chew, I expect you to work for it. I will do you no favors!"

Rubeus bowed, the proceeded to leave the room but not before he gave Esmeraude one last look.

Prince Demande at least had the decency to wait until Rubeus was out of earshot before he grabbed Esmeraude and pulled her roughly against him. Still his eyes burned with an anger embedded deep within him. "You said you could not see yourself with any other man. How dare you insult me like this?"

Esmeraude lowered her head from Demande, "I am a foolish woman. I fall prey easily to a man's lust."

"What am I to do now that I know you have been with another man?" Demande asked the woman in front of him. "Take my ring off your finger now."

She shook her head and took a step away from him.

"Whore, do not disobey me any more than you already have." Demande held out a gloved hand waiting for the golden trinket to fall in his palm.

It took a minute for Esmeraude to place the ring in his hand. She took it off her finger and stared at it as she told herself that one day she would see it back where it belonged. Demande clasped her hand in his, the ring digging into both their hands. The edges of the gem dug into the side of Esmeraude's bare palm.

"Stop it, you are hurting me," she begged.

"Good," Prince Demande stated as he tightened his grip even more. Esmeraude winced as the diamond sunk further into her skin. "You will accompany me to the Dark Kingdom. There will be no talk of this and if I see you as so much glance at Rubeus I will personally take away the privileges I have given you and you will become what you were before me."

Lady Esmeraude bowed her head as he spoke. The pain in her hand cut through her much like Prince Demande's words. "Your highness."

Again, Demande lifted her head with his fingers beneath her chin. "There is so much power in the universe. I want it and you want it. Queen Metallia wants it." He informed her.

He released his grip on Esmeraude's hand which she immediately brought up to her chest to caress it. Demande smirked as he noticed blood staining a portion of his white gloves, the ring resting in the middle of his palm.

"I intend to find and keep this power. If you do not screw up, I just might share it with you."

-.-.-.-.-.-

"Prince Endymion, why are you not engaged?" Princess Serenity asked.

Endymion turned to face the girl who snuck up on him. "Why do you ask?"

"You told my mother at dinner a few nights ago—when we were on the subject—that girls get married by the time they are fourteen or fifteen. Is it not the same for a man?"

The prince shook his head. His dark hair fell into his eyes and he brushed it out of his face. "All marriages are arranged – especially in the royal families. My parents have not found me suitable for any woman."

Sere laughed. "You are not suitable?"

He shrugged, "It is a nice way to put the fact that they think all princesses are not good enough for me."

"Oh," Sere sighed. "Have you not thought about intermarrying?"

Again the prince shrugged, "Earth is an advanced civilization. We do not much think to ask others their hand."

"That is not being fair, if you ask me." Serenity shook her head. "There are plenty of people out in the universe that could offer a great deal than just those of Earth. You cannot keep your searches there."

He laughed, "Tell that to my parents."

"What if you could choose yourself?" Serenity asked in all sincerity as they walked the shores of the kingdom.

Endymion did not answer for a moment. He glanced at the princess beside him, who was staring straight ahead facing the world before her. The dress she wore clung to her blossoming figure. She would make a beautiful woman one day. Without thinking, Endymion grabbed her pale wrist so that Sere would face him. He studied her round face, golden strands of hair and bright cornflower eyes.

They were wide with shock as he stared her down. His hands were resting on her shoulders; fingertips brushed the soft milky skin at the nape of her neck. He was aware that her breath was caught in her throat.

Those beautiful orbs narrowed underneath his gaze with slight confusion. "What?" she asked in a just audible whisper.

"You are beautiful," He stated simply, brushing back a strand of soft hair. "I just thought you should know." She turned her head from him to keep him from seeing the blush that kept to her cheeks. However, he turned her face back towards him. "Do not be ashamed of it. You will make someone very happy one day."

"You did not answer my question." Princess Serenity said.

He sighed as the princess turned from him and continued walking. "I suppose I would pick someone who complimented me."

-.-.-.-.-.-

Her heart beat ferociously as she confined herself in her room. With the door shut, she leaned against it and held her hand to her fluttering heart. It had happened so quickly she did not even see it coming but they would not call it 'falling in love' if a person knew it was going to happen. Wait, is that what this was? _Love_? Princess Serenity's gaze landed on the floor as she thought this over. Could she love someone so soon?

A knock on the door jolted her from her thoughts. She smoothed her skirts quickly before she opened the door, prayed that her distress was not apparent.

"There you are!" Ami exclaimed; her short blue-black hair was cropped close to her head. She grabbed Sere's arm and pulled her from her room. "It seems as if everyday we have to hunt you down and this is the first time any of us had ever looked in your room and found you there."

Princess Serenity did not say anything to retort being drug all the way to some sort of lessons where she was sure to end up. Her mind, instead, was revolving around a black headed, blue eyed prince that stole her heart earlier. The creature of her thoughts stood seconds away at the top of the grand staircase. Her eyes lingered on him as she passed by. If it were not for Ami the princess may have stood still in her tracks that moment when she saw Prince Endymion in the hallway.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Prince Saphir followed his brother into the contraption that would take them to the Dark Kingdom. Queen Metallia needed use of their sciences to find out the exact location of the crystal she lusted for. He noted that Esmeraude sitting near a window, her head turned to watch the lifeless world they lived in as they traveled; a somber look on her face. Her hands were folded in her lap and it seemed as though she were trying to keep from touching Demande.

Lord Rubeus sat in the back of the transportation. He too looked as though something was not right—as if the last thing he wanted to do was go with them to the kingdom. However, Saphir knew the queen needed Rubeus' smarts. Even Prince Demande himself was quieter than usual. When Saphir asked what was going on, Demande gave him a look that said '_must you always ask the wrong thing?_' but his brother just said, "Quiet."

Needless to say the ride to the Queen's castle was spent in silence.


	6. Witnessing the Future

How Forever Found Us

_Part One: Silver Millennium_

Written by Jill Annette

**CHAPTER FIVE  
Witnessing the Future**

I suppose, if it came down to it, Queen Serenity was never meant to find out about the impending invasion. If you saw what I saw through Time's Gate, though, I would like to see you not try to stop it.

There was the destruction of an entire universe—and not just any old universe but the one that I myself grew up in—in front of my eyes. Lives ripped to shreds, beings of all races and forms unable to survive the chaotic mess. The color red illuminated the screen as I watched and silence followed. The true meaning of silence enveloped around me: death.

My eyes widened in horror. I could not believe it. Not knowing what else to do I called for Queen Serenity herself for she had the most power in the Milky Way, though she nor others were aware of it. All the while, as I waited for Serenity to arrive at my stand before the Gate of Time, I knew what I was doing was wrong, that I should not manipulate the future.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Princess Serenity sulked. This was almost as bad as being grounded. Okay, so they do not call it grounding when you are royalty but it is about the same idea. She had twenty-four hour watch on her. Her guardians took shifts and if she left her bedroom someone would know about it _and_ she would be followed.

From time to time the guardians would try to enforce the fact that the princess needed to be supervised—as annoying as it was. Sere, would pout for days, sometimes weeks until the guardians started to not be so adamant about their watch.

Now, however, the princess felt it was horrible timing. By the time the girls decided that she might behave herself a little bit more and stay with a chaperone—even if it would be for a couple days at tops—Endymion would already be gone. The young princess sighed before she crossed her room and opened the door to the rest of the palace. Makoto stood guard; her green eyes glanced to the princess who exited her room.

"Where are we going?" asked the brunette.

Sere crossed her arms and stuck out her chin, a small pout formed on her lips that did not go unnoticed by the older woman. "I hate it when you guys act like you are nothing more than my nannies."

Makoto suppressed a smirk.

Princess Serenity continued down the hallway aware that her friend-slash-guardian was close behind her. The palace seemed quieter than normal. Usually people were milling about here and there, maids cleaning and rearranging, guests would be touring the grand hallways and staircases. However, no one seemed to be present.

"Where is everyone?" Sere asked; she could feel as Makoto watched her carefully. When her guardian did not respond, Serenity turned around to face the tall immortal that stood watch over her.

Then Makoto shrugged. "I am not a hundred percent sure." After another beat or two of silence, Makoto continued, "I do know your mother was called to the Plutonian Kingdom for a meeting with Setsuna."

"The Time Keeper?"

Makoto nodded.

Princess Serenity furrowed her brows, "What about her meetings with the Earth Prince?"

"They are on a hiatus, I assume."

The princess's face fell. That means the prince would be leaving until her mother arrived back. Traveling from the moon to Earth took nearly twenty-four hours; to the smallest planet, trailing at the end of the universe, it took five days.

Sere put her hands on her hips, extremely un-princess like, "That means, my mother will be gone for more than ten days."

"Why are you so worried princess?" Minako had appeared, seemingly from nowhere.

"I just," Princess Serenity cleared her throat to help compose herself—being a brat about this would not help her situation. "My mother is meeting with the Prince of Earth. I think it is a little rude for her to cancel them all for a trip to Pluto."

Now Ami walked towards them from the library. Overhearing what the princess had said, Ami informed her friend, "Your mother is flying to the Plutonian Kingdom for an emergency meeting. Apparently, Setsuna has noticed something very disturbing that could not be said unless it was in person. She pressed the issue until all the queen could do was grant the Keeper of Time a hearing. The queen apologized profusely, promised the Prince a ship home until she arrives back from Pluto. She also sent the prince home with an outline of everything she still wished to discuss about the alignment so time will not be wasted."

Sere listened to all the information Ami held about her own mother. "How do you know everything?"

Ami shrugged her narrow shoulders and guided the blond princess down the stairs. "We're meeting Minako and Rei in the dining hall for lunch."

-.-.-.-.-.-

The sound of the future was weak, muted in a way. None of the words could be deciphered from one to another and took a trained mind and ear to understand exactly what was going on through whichever screen you were looking through.

I heard the queen's soft footsteps before I caught a glimpse of her white robes through the stands that held the glowing orbs of time. She meandered through the room, taking in one past life to a present and even a future or two. Queen Serenity stopped at one glowing orb and gasped, one hand coming to her lips and the other reaching for someone on the screen. It was a young Apollo; years before the two were wed. A moment or two passed before the queen shook her head sadly and left the image of her love.

"It is good to see you, Setsuna." She greeted me. She held out her hands to take my own and kissed my cheeks. "What is it that you must take me away from my kingdom duties?"

"Follow me."

I lead her to one of the glowing orbs: the one that shone an eerie red. The screen continued to play the destruction of all races in this galaxy. Queen Serenity's face furrowed, a frown plated itself firm on her lips. Tears sprung to her eyes at the sight and truth of a massacre beyond anything anyone has ever or would ever see. Man after man fell down, blood flooding the streets of the moon, of earth, of other planets.

"This cannot happen." The queen shook her head. "We have to find a way to stop this from happening. Who could do this?"

I moved toward the main system, more or less a database of eternity: from time before it even began to time after it runs out. The main system is much like the other orbs, only the orb is bigger and I can access any part of time through it. After I hit a few keys, the screen faulted then corrected itself as a brown planet came into view. "From the looks of it, Nemesis is the course to this galaxy again. I believe the inhabitants of that planet are to blame."

"Nemesis," the queen spat the name out, hatred enveloped her voice. She watched the dark seemingly mobile planet a few moments more. With a shake of her head, Queen Serenity said, "No. Who do they attack first? We must warn them. We must stop Nemesis at its first stop."

I took the image of Nemesis down and abruptly brought up the moon. Queen Serenity gasped at the sight, as the screen slipped passed the full view of the moon and closer until the kingdom and its people were viewable. The queen watched in silence as her people collapsed. A familiar man filled the screen as he fought off a minion of Nemesis. A slight smile formed only then when she realized that the prince of Earth would indeed become an ally and prove to be a great fighter as well. However, her smile did not last as the minutes passed and the reality of the future dawned on the queen once again.

Another horror flashed before her eyes as the prince was attacked from all angles and before he could stab one opponent, they defeated him. His head rolled off his shoulders and hit the ground at his feet, his body collapsing beside it a second later. Though, even with the muted sound through the orb, a clear, piercing scream sounded and startled the queen as she watched the terrifying scene. As quickly as the villains appeared they were gone as they continued their fight elsewhere. Princess Serenity appeared through the dust and she rushed to the side of the prince. She cried over the body not knowing exactly what to do with the sight in front of her. The princess collapsed on top of Endymion's corpse, grasping for his sword and within seconds the gleaming metal was impaled through her chest.

"No," the queen whispered, tears spilling from her eyes. Questions flooded her head but she knew some of them would have to wait until the present caught up with what she just witnessed. "I cannot believe it."

"I believe you can stop it." I stopped the future from playing out. "To sum the rest of what you just saw up, your kingdom turns out like the rest do."

"We will stop this from happening," the queen's determined voice left no doubt in my mind.

-.-.-.-.-.-

The hovering carriage crept up the path to Dark Kingdom's only true palace. Queen Metallia, perched at one of the numerous windows smirked. The help she had called for finally arrived. It was about time, she thought, she had been waiting a small eternity. Her curled, dark hair flipped around her as she turned from the window to greet her guests in the entrance hall of the castle. Echoes of her steps spiked off the walls, surrounding her with a quick beat.

By the time Queen Metallia's stiletto hit the marble of the bottom step, Prince Demande's dark features were silhouetted by the mystic light of the planet. He bowed to her gracefully; long white hair brushed the floor in his bent position. Behind him, Lord Rubeus, Prince Saphir and Lady Esmeraude lowered themselves to greet the queen as well. When they stood upright, the queen crooked her finger in a gesture for them to follow her.

She sauntered into the make-shift conference room—which was really the dining room. Lethe and Mnemosyne were already waiting in the room, both stood beside the chair at the head of the room. Each picked a side of the chair and pulled it out for the queen. When the queen took her seat, the guests copied her and took a seat of their own, Demande made sure Esmeraude sat across from his brother instead of the traitor, Rubeus. Lethe and Mnemosyne stayed on their feet behind Queen Metallia.

"Let us get to business, shall we?" Metallia had a sultry voice, deep and mocking. Her vocal chords alone said, _Mess with me, you will regret it_.

"We receive the coordinates of the crystal," Prince Demande started. "Prince Saphir studied the rather roughly drawn map. It was Lord Rubeus who recognized them." His eyes glowered as he mentioned Rubeus' name.

"Then Lord Rubeus," Metallia moved her attention to the red head to her right, "where might I find my ginzuishou?"

Rubeus cleared his throat; he leaned forward on his elbows as he spoke, "The Moon Kingdom."

The queen groaned, "Insolent fools." She slammed an open palm on the table, the slap echoing throughout the room. "They had it under my nose the entire time. I should have known. The damn Sun King was married to the wretched Moon Queen."

Lady Esmeraude smirked at the queen's statement. Prince Demande pinched her thigh, somehow, through her petticoats and Esmeraude quickly set her face emotionless. Metallia continued to rant about how blind she was, how furious she was at herself.

"If I was a servant, I would kill myself," she huffed to a close. She shook her head, "Forget everything I just said." With another solid breath, Metallia folded her hands in front of her, "We just need a plan. Knowing the Moon People, they will be easily defeated. A small kingdom like that should have no army strong enough to defeat our military."

Lord Rubeus shoved red hair out of his brown eyes. "My queen, our troops have been trained daily and more thoroughly the past sixteen years. We have grown again to a considerable number of militia. Over the half we lost has been gained."

Queen Metallia nodded. "Excellent."

"Basically," Prince Saphir spoke up, "we could sneak up on them. They will not know what hit them."

Long dark brown hair brushed the table as Metallia leaned forward, "And how do you suppose we do that?"

"There's a formula, a device of some sorts—if I can find the tools to build—can make an invisible shield that will cover the entire planet."

"Oh nice," Queen Metallia leaned back already bored. "An invisible shield for Nemesis. Great. What will it do, bounce the attack back?"

He shook his head, dark blue-black hair brushing his forehead. "I believe you have misunderstood me. The invisible shield will not protect us from any sort of attack – not really. However, if you cannot be detected, why would you be attacked?"

The realization of Saphir's plan dawned on the queen and a dark eyebrow shot up so high it just brushed the edge of her crown. She folded her hands under her chin. "Explain to me more and tell me what we need to make this."


	7. Seven Sisters

How Forever Found Us

_Part One: Silver Millennium_

Written by Jill Annette

**CHAPTER SIX  
Seven Sisters**

Prince Saphir was intelligent. He knew everything needed to be known. For instance, that they would have to travel to Galaxy Cauldron to find one single being: Chaos. The cloudy being was pure evil. Chaos could take the shape of anything but never be completely solid. There was also rumor that he could enter another being and feast on their soul until he was the thing that controlled the corpse.

Chaos also had four rainbow crystals—each of which had their own sort of power but none of them great without a complete set. The other three crystals were hidden as jewelry on three different people. Saphir would be the one person to keep track of each crystal as he did most things that had any particular power to them.

"So, seven crystals will make us disappear?" Esmeraude asked; her green eyes bright. Demande glared at her for speaking out of turn.

"Seven crystals will generate a machine in the heart of our planet that will mask us to the rest of the universe." Saphir explained as he tapped his pointing fingers together.

"What are these crystals and where can we get the other three before we find Chaos in the depths of the Cauldron?" Queen Metallia asked; her eyes solely on Saphir.

"The seven crystals: Ruby, Amber, Saffron, Emerald, Beryl, Indigo and Violet. Lady Esmeraude wears Emerald on her left ring finger," Saphir nodded his head towards the woman who, not surprised at all, smiled and let the party see the huge, green rock that weighed on her finger. "Rubeus made Ruby an earring." The group took note of his gauged ear and a sparkling crystal (pointed at the ends and thick in the middle) stuck through the hole. "And you my queen hold Beryl next to your heart."

"So close, yet so far away." Queen Metallia fingered the blue broach and a sneer exposed her sharp teeth. "They all have names, each is a different piece of jewelry and Chaos has found four. I expect he will not give up his crystals so easily?"

Prince Demande leaned forward as he spoke, "Legend has it, when placed together these seven crystals form an intense power. What exactly, no one knows for sure. Saphir believes they can be manipulated. The machine that he has designed keeps the seven together and apart simultaneously. This way, we have control of the power emitted from each personality instead of the whole. No one knows what would happen if each crystal were put together."

"You said 'each personality,' what exactly do you mean by that?" Metallia asked.

"Along with a legend there is a myth. While they do coexist, the two do not intertwine. I am still trying to figure out why—they might." Prince Saphir mumbled the last part, lost himself in his thoughts for a second or two before he continued, "There were seven sisters who held a deep bond. Each girl held power over certain things and each had a defining color."

"Their names," the queen murmured.

"Precisely." Saphir nodded once. "I have heard people say that Chaos is the sisters' father. He lured seven of the most beautiful women to his liar and lain with them: women from Mars, Venus, the sun—before we defeated it, of course," he smirked before continuing, "Earth, Neptune, Mercury and Saturn. Each bore him an equally gorgeous, if not prettier daughter on the exact same day.

"For years Chaos watched over his children as they grew into fine women. He also noticed a peculiar thing about the seven sisters; each controlled a certain emotion and could manipulate others. Ruby could ignite rage in others while Amber could freeze them up with a feeling much like suffocation. Saffron would make even the bravest man cower down, the noblest man tell a lie. Emerald held jealousy for others, she made best of friends envy each other. Beryl could make a person drown in his own tears if she placed her sorrow on him. Violet could expose someone's darkest secrets to use against him. Lastly, Indigo had the ability to enhance these feelings. She made a person feel as if their unaccounted for emotions would never end.

"Somewhere down the line, a curse was placed on the evil family. Supposedly the Dead Moon Circus clan placed the curse on them when Chaos did them wrong. Of course, no one knows for sure because the Dead Moon and its inhabitants cannot be found anywhere – not that many people are looking." Saphir took a breath.

"You are looking though, are you not?" Demande asked his brother.

Saphir nodded slightly, "There are no hopes of finding something that does not wish to be found. I believe they are waiting for the time when Chaos is destroyed completely, they were not able. The curse defeated his human-like form and turned him in to the black mass we know today. His girls were trapped in clear crystals that were dyed by their aura. The sisters were spread across the universe; Chaos was only able to acquire four."

"How do you suppose we convince him to just hand over the four daughters he does have?" Metallia asked; one hand was off to the side of her as she spoke.

Saphir shrugged, "Transportation from the Cauldron, I suppose. He cannot leave himself. Somehow though, we need to find a way to contain him as well."

Queen Metallia tapped her finger to her lip, "Contain him?"

"His form can take over another's form—which is why most people stay away from him. If we can find a bloodstone, however, he would be attracted to that instead."

"Why a bloodstone?"

"It would attract his shade, I believe. It would be like a magnet and steel, the draw of the stone would be too powerful for him to resist." Saphir paused; his fingers tapped the marble table in no particular rhythm as he thought. "We could find use for him later but we do not want him to be roaming our planet as if we trust him."

Metallia nodded, "Well, if I must give up Beryl—as you call her—I would be in need of a replacement. A bloodstone sounds perfect."

"My queen," Saphir hesitated, "it would be dangerous to wear such a thing with chaos lurking inside."

With a short-lived laugh, the queen replied, "If his powers are so great, I see no better person to wear him than your queen."

He looked to his brother—Demande shook his head once—then bowed his head. "If that is what you wish, your majesty, it shall be."

"Exactly," the queen stated.

When she stood, the others stood as well. She walked around the head of the table, left the room and headed up the stairs to the control room. "Demande," she called. "Navigate us to the Galaxy Cauldron. It will take years before our plan can come to life if we do not hurry." Demande nodded muttering his acknowledgement as he rushed passed her once she paused at the top of the stairs. "Rubeus, I will need you to train our troops. As we travel, find more who want to join our side, train them well. I want us to be fully capable of defeating the entire galaxy when the time comes."

-.-.-.-.-.-

Queen Serenity's eyes were downcast as the ship glided up into Pluto's atmosphere. She did not notice the small bumps and jerks as the contraption righted itself in space. Instead she was haunted by her daughter's death on the screen. Why would she kill herself for the Earth Prince? Her Sere and Endymion never made contact outside of the dining room. Or did they? Did the two meet up when Sere was missing on one of her excursions? Her guardians would have to keep an extra careful eye on her starting now. She could not have a boy of Earth steal her daughter's innocence.

She sighed. Then there was the consideration of new armor that had to be built. Queen Serenity could not very well have the son of her (soon-to-be) new alliance die in her kingdom's own battle. No matter the fact she would not allow him to grow close to her daughter. With a piece of charcoal and parchment, Queen Serenity started sketching new armor for the soldiers. A cape with a malleable metal collar rising to the chin should work along with the regular suits of armor they wore. Speculating her design, Queen Serenity decided that the addition should not be too heavy.

"Artemis, Luna," she called for her two advisors.

When they appeared at the doorway, the queen started to explain what Setsuna showed her. She showed Artemis the cape she designed and asked for his advice for the lightest and most durable materials. Luna was to send word for Haruka of Uranus to meet them back at the Moon Palace to start planning defense strategies. The queen sank into the chair at the front of the room once Luna left to contact Haruka and Artemis left to find information about different types of metal.

To keep herself from crying, the queen buried her face in her hands and sighed deeply. A few days after she arrived home again, the princess would be turning seventeen and would demand a party. Worse, her subjects would be expecting a grand ball for the occasion—just as there had been every year since her birth.

Somehow she drifted of to sleep. Maybe it was the rocking rhythm of the ship that lulled her eyes closed. However, her sleep was not restful.

-

_Queen Serenity raced through the corridors of her palace. There was a sense of urgency in the air and she needed to get to her daughter before anything happened to her. Why could the princess never do anything she was told? How hard was it to stay in her room where it was safe? Of everything queen asked of her daughter all she was given in return was pure rebellion. Then again, what else could she have expected from her daughter?_

_She passed Luna, her brows furrowed at the bundle of cloth wrapped around a young child in her advisors arms. It seemed as if Luna had something to say to her but Queen Serenity did not slow down instead she raced up yet another flight of stairs to the balcony in hopes of a better view to find her daughter._

_Bursting through the glass doors, the queen scanned the soldiers before her for golden hair. Just when she was about to give up hope she finally, finally spotted her daughter kneeling over the decapitated body of Endymion. Before the queen could take another breath, Princess Serenity pierced herself with his sword._

"_NO!!!" the queen exclaimed, reaching out for her daughter as if she could grasp her in her hands and bring her close to her bosom. Tears fell from her eyes and she sank to her knees._

_Luna appeared once again, still with the child in her arms, and knelt beside the queen. "There is still something you can do."_

-

Queen Serenity's eyes snapped open. What could she do? There had to be something to prevent the horror that seemed to be their future. She looked up when she heard footsteps at the door and found Luna watching her intently. A sad smile appeared on her face, "Luna," Queen Serenity all but sighed.

Luna stepped closer to her, kneeling once she reached the chair the queen sat in and knelt to become level, if not lower than the queen—much like she had in the dream. "Yes, your majesty?" The formality was not necessary but in Luna's nature. They had worked together for so long the queen would consider Luna a dear friend—as well as Artemis. Besides if it were not for the two, the queen would not be able to rule her kingdom as gracefully as she did.

Though the queen had so many things running through her head, she picked the one that entered her head before she fell asleep.

"Sere's birthday will be coming up quicker than I would hope." She started. "If it is not too much to ask, we need to ready a masquerade or something of the sort. When Haruka arrives, we need to make sure that only the elite soldiers are aware of the war coming upon us—at least until after my daughter's birthday. We have very little time to postpone readying for a war."

"If I may ask," Luna said, "how much longer do we have?"

"Maybe a year, maybe two. It is hard to say exactly," the queen paused. "You, at least in my dream, had a child in your hands, maybe a year old."

Luna's hands immediately went to her stomach, holding it gently. She shook her head.

The queen watched her friend, her advisor, as realization struck her features. "Luna, are you pregnant?"

The black headed woman hesitated before she answered. "I planned on telling you eventually. The moment just never seemed right." She blushed, "Artemis promised to let me be the one to tell you."

"How far along are you?" Queen Serenity asked peering at Luna.

"I am right at four months," she said.

The queen did not say anything for a moment as her mind was not on the baby growing inside Luna but rather on a specific timeline that could now be measured by that exact miracle. "We have time. Yes, we have at least a year." She reached out for Luna and embraced her. "Congratulations."

"Thank you, my queen." Luna gasped from Queen Serenity's tight embrace.

"You are our timeline to the war," the queen said. She held her friend loosely and looked into her eyes, "It is both a blessing and a curse. But I promise you this, no matter what else happens once the war hits, your child will be safe."


	8. Mysteries of Love

How Forever Found Us

_Part One: The Silver Millennium_

Written by Jill Annette

**CHAPTER SEVEN  
Mysteries of Love**

Princess Serenity meandered through the hallways. Her mother was due back soon and Queen Serenity requested that she be waiting. One thing Serenity did not do well was waiting; but she was far too impatient for it. The doors from the landing opened and somehow she kept herself from rushing to the door and throwing herself in her mother's arms. She held her composure as people started to pass by her. It took Princess Serenity a moment before she realized the people were not of her mother's ship. A long minute passed before she finally recognized Haruka of Uranus enter the palace.

Though Haruka was a princess like Serenity, she preferred to be called by her name only. Haruka had boyish features, her sandy blond hair cropped shorter than even Ami's and she wore a General's garments instead of dresses. It was as if the princess wanted to be mistaken for a man. Princess Serenity had heard through the gossips of the kingdom that Haruka had also taken in a female lover from the waters of Neptune. Serenity found it to be quite a joke for some time, for how can a person take a mermaid from the depths of her home? Now however, she found herself awestruck by the slight woman that walked in Haruka's shadow.

The woman had sea green hair that fell below her waist in smooth waves. Her white dress clung to her body like sea foam and if Serenity was not mistaken, her feet were bare but it was hard to tell beneath the folds of fabric. She was extremely pale though her skin did emit a slight blue hue, as if she had been dunked in ice cold water just a minute too long, though her lips were bright pink. Iridescent scales were noticeable at the corner of her eyes and on the top of her wrists but it was only until the two were right beside Princess Serenity did she notice.

"Princess," Haruka acknowledged; her voice an octave lower than the average woman and like a man she bowed instead of curtsied. "This is my girlfriend, Michiru."

Michiru smiled in greeting and she curtsied awkwardly low and her green hair brushed the floor. Princess Serenity was almost certain that Michiru was one of the most gorgeous beings she had ever seen. No wonder Haruka was completely entranced by her. Even Serenity seemed to be a bit taken a back by Michiru's presence.

Princess Serenity curtsied back and said, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Michiru." She turned to Haruka and very un-princess-like, hugged Haruka. "It is great to see you again too, Haruka, but what would my mother want to see you for?"

Haruka and Princess Serenity went back to swaddling clothes. Well, Princess Serenity was in swaddling clothes while Haruka was already walking and talking. They spent a few summers together and had sporadic visits throughout the rest of the years. The past few years, however, they had not been able to see each other. Maybe it was because Haruka became a mastermind at militia and spent the majority of her time arming forces and training troops among the alliance. Serenity now knew that the other part of her time was spent with the woman next to her.

Haruka tilted her head, "I am not quite at liberty to say. Is your mother not back from Pluto?"

Sere shook her head. "She said for me to wait for her. She is due back any minute."

When Michiru sought out Haruka's hand and intertwined their fingers, Haruka did not object. Princess Serenity tried not to become distracted by their displays of affection, or jealous for that matter. One day she would find someone who would treat her with that much acceptance and without shame or a care what anyone else might think.

"I am sure you two have things to discuss. When your mother is ready to speak with me, let her know we shall be along the beach." Haruka nodded her goodbye and turned down the hallway and Michiru slightly waved as she was lead outside.

Princess Serenity noticed only then that Michiru was not completely sure in her steps. Haruka was her balance, her feet on land. It only made sense that the beach would be their destination as they waited for Queen Serenity to call for them. Which lead to her wonderings if Michiru had feet in water, surely she could not just change shape could she?

Once again the double doors from the landing opened and a familiar dark head appeared before her eyes. His tall, muscled body made her heart flutter. He came back soon. Why had her mother scheduled so many conferences at once?

Prince Endymion's dark blue eyes smoldered when they landed on her. It was all Princess Serenity could do to keep from swooning. She curtsied as he neared her and he replied with a slight bow but did not stop to exchange a word or two. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he passed her and she could not help herself when she called out his name.

He turned with one single raised eyebrow—as if raising one's eyebrow was the easiest thing in the world to do—and replied, "Serenity?"

She immediately blushed when his eyes found hers and stammered over a couple words before she could form a question to ask him. "Do you know what is going on, that my mother needs a word with so many people?"

"I know why she has called for me." He closed the distance between them so they would not have to talk across the length of the hallway. "We are to finish negotiations. Which you might be obliged to know that I have agreed."

Princess Serenity's eyes lit up before she could stop them, staring at him in wonderment. "Really?" She cleared her throat, then as if her seriousness depended on it said, "Of course, you must talk with my mother about it and verify it with her to make it official. You cannot just go telling everyone you are in alliance with the Moon when the queen herself has not yet been notified—or approved." Then with a smirk of mischief, "She could have changed her mind."

The prince nodded as he processed what she said. "I might believe that if I were not the one present in the meetings we had. If I were oblivious for how much she needed me in this alliance, I would be able to say that she changed her mind. However, that is not so is it?"

She shook her head, mesmerized by his features much like she was of Michiru just moments before. However, unlike Michiru being the most fascinating being she had ever seen, there was something about Prince Endymion that hooked her and made her want to keep him next to her just a little moment longer. She wanted him to keep talking to her, to keep that smirk on his face and tease just the littlest bit. Attraction barely seemed to fit the definition of what she felt for Endymion: and whatever it was clung to the air around them, leaving her unable to breathe easily.

"I guess not," she said, unable to keep herself from leaning towards him. Somehow though, her playful smile stayed on her lips despite the thoughts in her head.

Princess Serenity continued to stare up at him—he was so tall—as he laughed. She would be mortified if he could read her mind and it seemed as if he could. Endymion shook his head and patted the top of her golden head. The physical contact was enough to speed the pace of her heart and rush the blood in her veins straight to her cheeks, staining them scarlet.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Queen Serenity stepped into the hallway, grateful for finally being on land again. However, she was not greeted with a sight she was ready for. Her worst nightmare was coming true before her eyes. Prince Endymion was a little too close for comfort with her daughter. A flash of their future blinked before her eyes, their bodies atop one another and lifeless. Is this where it all began; their love and their downfall?

They were exchanging words and the smiles on their faces were almost flirtations. That was, almost flirtations before her own daughter leaned in to say something back and Endymion turned his smirk into a flirtatious laugh and patted her daughter on the head. When her daughter blushed and a spark flashed through her eyes, the Queen had enough.

"Ahem."

The young princess jumped away from Endymion's touch as she turned to the sound of her mother clearing her throat. Queen Serenity looked at them strictly, she did not like the display of affection before her, however innocent it may be. Princess Serenity wrung her fingers together in front of her as Prince Endymion straightened up to his full height.

"Well," the queen looked from one to the other, "it looks as if you two have grown a little fond of each other."

"Your Highness," Endymion bowed his head to her, "We were discussing the alliance. Your daughter was interested on what my decision would be."

"And what of it?" Queen Serenity asked almost offensively.

"I have decided to join."

"Of course," She glanced at him. "I have been to the Plutonian Kingdom. There is a great deal of information I am now aware of that you yourself may not know yet. Some things-" she turned to her daughter then back to Endymion. "Some things I am determined to keep from happening."

"Mother," Princess Serenity desperate for a change of subject, not sure what the queen was trying to suggest. Maybe it was not Prince Endymion she needed to worry about reading her mind but the very woman before her. "What was it you needed to talk about with me?"

"I will speak to you later this evening, Prince Endymion," Queen Serenity dismissed him.

He bowed to the queen before he sauntered off down the hall. Queen Serenity turned to her daughter to find the young girl staring wistfully off in the direction Endymion could last be seen.

"Can I ask you what is going through your mind?" the queen demanded.

Misted blue eyes focused clear on the queen, "What do you mean?"

The queen all but huffed at her daughter, "Follow me so we may talk in private." She stormed off to her room leaving her daughter in her wake.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Haruka lay on one of the huge rocks that stretched out into the sea. She held herself up with one arm, her elbow digging into the sharp rock. The white sea was calm today save the slight ripples her love made off shore. Michiru's skin absolutely glowed when she was immersed in water. The pre-dawn light of the leisurely rising sun illuminated everything. The princess knew that she could never own up to Michiru's love of water but like Haruka could not live without air; the goddess of the sea could never live without water.

"Is the water not poisonous?" A gravelly voice asked from behind her.

Haruka glanced over her shoulder and sat up for better view of the stranger. "The wonderful thing about being a creature of the sea like Michiru is she can adapt to any body of water. It is a good thing too; she is not great at walking yet."

He nodded, at sat down beside Haruka. As he sat his hand brushed a flimsy piece of cream material that pooled beside him, the lace frothing up from the center of the pile. It took him a minute to realize that it was a dress which meant the woman inside the water was nude. His eyebrows shot up at the realization and looked up at the girl beside him.

Haruka smirked, "She is of the sea. Clothes are not needed for her. Michiru is not a bashful woman."

Again he nodded but his eyebrows were furrowed in confusion.

"Princess Haruka of Uranus, but please just call me Haruka." She gestured out to the woman swimming about the waters before them, "Michiru is my soul mate."

"Nice to make your acquaintance. I am Prince Endymion of Earth." He replied in hopes to hold back a smirk at the term soul mate.

"Would you prefer that I call her a lover?" Haruka asked bluntly.

A rush of breath escaped Endymion, "What?"

"Your eyes do not hide the fact that you think me preposterous for using soul mate to describe Michiru." Haruka's brown eyes were threatening.

Prince Endymion scratched the back of his head as a form of hesitation before answering. "I just do not believe in soul mates." He let loose a strained laugh. "And I seem to be coming across this topic a few times the past month."

Haruka shook her head, "You live an empty life." She grabbed Michiru's garments and stood. "I hope you find the one who takes your breath away and makes you want to bite your tongue off for ever disbelieving such a wonderful thing." She strode farther down the jetties to leave him with his thoughts.

Though Endymion had obviously been told to sod off in one form or another, Haruka did it in a sense that made him feel worse than words might ever have. Sea green hair disappeared out of his view as Michiru swam in the direction Haruka walked so neither would be too far away from each other. Prince Endymion was left alone—which was the entire reason he came out to the beach anyway.

Princess Serenity was getting him into trouble. There was a fire in the queen's eyes that was ferocious and she did not want him touching her daughter. He could not deny that. The prince was almost frightened to see the queen later this evening to talk things over. It was a good chance that there was a lot more negotiating going to go on even after he confirmed the alliance.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Queen Serenity very well had it planned to tell her daughter to stop whatever it is she thought she was doing with Prince Endymion. On the ride home from Pluto, she had everything planned out. The betrothal to Seiya, the announcement on her seventeenth birthday next week, the wedding in a few months. She would do everything in her power to keep her daughter and Prince Endymion from seeing each other. From either of them having any chance of falling in love with each other. Kakyuu on the other hand, refused to force their children in a betrothal neither of them wanted. She would have to find someone else.

What truly set off her anger this afternoon when she saw Sere with the prince was figuring out that she was already too late. Rather they noticed it or not. She flung the door open to her bed chambers and paced the floors of her room trying to calm herself and find the words to say to her daughter in the seconds before her blond little head appeared in the doorway.

The door slammed shut behind the princess. She folded her arms over her chest waiting for the onslaught she was sure her mother would lay on her. However, the queen's words were not harsh when she spoke.

"I have a great deal of troubles upon me." Queen Serenity said. "I have found out things I would rather not. There are things I wish I could stop—some I will, some I am afraid cannot."

Sere sat on her mother's bed as she continued to talk.

"The future is grim, Sere. We may have a year at most before destruction comes our way. I thought not to tell you but you must know how we do things for when it is your time to reign—because I will make sure there is a time you will reign." The queen sighed and rubber her temples. "Asking you this now will probably save your life in the future. When the war comes I need you to take shelter in the castle and come out for nothing."

"I do not understand, mother."

"Setsuna, Keeper of Time, showed me the downfall of the ten kingdoms. Not a single soul survived. Nemesis is a foul monster of a planet. Its evil will be its own undoing. Before the future became known to her, we did not know about the attack ourselves. This time around we have an advantage."

Princess Serenity could not reply. Her mother seemed to speak in riddles.

A sad smile crossed the queen's features, "The good of it, I have seen you fall in love but I have seen your heart break into a million pieces. The war will not be good for us when it comes. You have to trust me or you will be in grave danger."

Serenity's eyes filled with tears as she reached for her mother, "I do not want to die."

"Oh," the queen sighed, gathering her daughter into her arms. "You say that now but you must promise me you will never take a sword to yourself if you decide to change your mind."

Her daughter's eyes overflowed with tears. "I do not understand why you ask me this. Of course, I would never bring a sword down on myself. How could I?"

Queen Serenity smoothed her daughter's hair with her fingers. "I do not know. There are things I just need to make sure of before it is too late."

It was silent for a time as mother and daughter held each other, both afraid of the future. The queen afraid of losing the exact being she held in her arms and the princess afraid of everything else her mother was not telling her.

"Sere?" the queen asked, her chin pressing against the top of the princess's head.

Sere's reply was muffled through the fabric of the queen's gown.

"If there is one thing I can do for you to save your life I will. At your party next week, I will be on the lookout for a suitor. Please do not defy me this time."

The princess buried her head deeper into the ruffled fabric and sniffled.

Queen Serenity did not say anything as her daughter's body shook around her tears. There had to be a way to convince her daughter to let her pick out a suitor for her, that way, the queen could keep her daughter away from Prince Endymion and their doomed life. "You must let me protect you."

Princess Serenity adjusted her head so that her words would not be muted through the queen's garments. "What of Seiya?"

"You and Seiya are not meant to be. Kakyuu was not very keen on the subject anyway, especially once she found Seiya had no true interest with you as a wife." The queen pursed her lips—how she would have talked Princess Kakyuu into the wedding if she had stuck to her original plan.

"But you still refuse to let me love?" Princess Serenity asked as she looked at her mother with an expression of despair.

Queen Serenity hesitated as she tried to figure out the words to reply to her daughter without heating the girl's temper. "Trust me, I know who to choose."

Princess Serenity did not say anything. Her mother brushed golden strands of her hair from her face as they continued to watch each other. Eventually Serenity succumbed to her mother with a sigh. "You said you have seen me fall in love so I trust you shall pick the right person. However, you have said that my heart will be broken as well—in all a quick time. Why should you pick the same person that will be destined to break me?"

"Love is a beautiful thing," Queen Serenity started. She bought herself time to figure out what to say because she certainly was not going to pick the one person that would be the death of her daughter. She sighed, "No matter how short lived it is."

Princess Serenity curled next to her mother once again so that the queen could not see her face. There was a chance that she herself might not make it through the war, she could feel it in her gut. Maybe her heart would be shattered by her future love but maybe it would not be his fault. It is possible that he will die in battle as well. Everything seemed to revolve around death's grasp.

"I am scared," Serenity whispered.

"I am too," the queen replied. "I am too."


	9. Acceptance

How Forever Found Us

_Part One: The Silver Millennium_

Written by Jill Annette

**CHAPTER EIGHT  
Acceptance**

The next day Queen Serenity sighed as she sunk into her chair at the head of the table, her fingers massaging her temples. She had exactly five minutes before the next conference would begin and the few precious moments she had alone would do her well. For the first half of the day, Queen Serenity had met with Haruka convincing her of the future before them, telling her she needed to train their armies well and prepare them for battle. It was not until the queen produced a written letter signed by me, The Keeper of Time, before Haruka finally took in consideration what Serenity had to say.

Haruka read over the letter quickly, which stated everything I had shown the queen myself. She sat slouched in the chair, one shoulder lower than the other, one arm reached across the table as the letter laid face-up in front of her. Her grey-blue eyes scanned the words thoughtfully before she folded the paper in thirds and turned towards the queen.

"I don't doubt you," Haruka said. "This seems preposterous though. Nemesis disappeared over sixteen years ago and we are to expect the last planet of this galaxy that is able to cross over into the next will be back. We have not seen it since it destroyed the most profitable kingdom our universe has ever seen. How could we defeat Nemesis if she attacks us?"

Queen Serenity was silent for a long moment. "I called upon you because your abilities to train a militia cannot be bested. However, they do work with the darker spirits and what Setsuna showed me I could never explain. The best I could say was that it was a shadow of immense hate. The future held us unprepared. Metallia attacked full force on us first and then continued outward until every last life-form in this galaxy was either dead or serving her. I do not know what she is after ultimately but I do have suspicion as to why she comes to my kingdom first."

"Why is that?" Haruka asked.

"Can I entrust you with a secret, Haruka?" Queen Serenity asked, feeling a slight bout of déjà vu as she had asked the same question to Prince Endymion a month ago.

"You can trust my silence."

Nodding, Queen Serenity told Haruka of the diamond she received from Apollo as a wedding gift that held an immense power. She explained the clear diamond was purer than any other ginzuishou and the silver of it only appeared when it was being used, much like she had shown Prince Endymion. After this, Queen Serenity and Haruka begin exchanging ideas for the impending war. They would gather the troops from every part of the alliance and train them rigorously until it was time to fight.

After Haruka left and Queen Serenity had those precious five minutes to herself, Prince Endymion walked into the room. They had scheduled their appointment for last night but the queen cancelled it so that she could speak with her daughter instead. "Thank you for waiting and also thank you for becoming a part of our alliance."

"It is for the best of our world like you said especially if Nemesis were to show up again."

For a while after that the two filled out paper work to bind their kingdoms together. As the last paper had a signature on it, Queen Serenity said, "Now as you may know, tomorrow night is my daughter's seventeenth birthday. It is a masquerade and you are invited to come – you are a part of the family now."

The prince nodded, "It would be an honor."

"But," Queen Serenity held up on slender finger, "I will not have you carousing with my daughter anymore. You are to be cordial with her and will pay her no fancy or extra attention."

Endymion swallowed hard, "Understood, but why are you accusing me of being fresh with your daughter?"

Queen Serenity stood and stated calmly, "I am not meaning to accuse you of anything. I just see her with you and the electricity between you two, the tension, seems different than most people. There is something there I cannot explain, be it attraction or what-not but I cannot have my daughter falling for someone she will never be able to marry."

Prince Endymion scratched the back of his head. "I did not realize there was a connection between us as you say."

"Maybe not," she sighed. "Either way, her engagement to Raiden of Saturn will be announced at her party tomorrow night."

The dead weight of silence filled the room once the queen's words were out of her mouth. You could not even hear either of them breathe up to thirty seconds before the prince finally inhaled again and nodded towards Queen Serenity. "Your majesty," he stated before stepping out of the room.

Once the door clicked behind him Queen Serenity sank to the floor, all the power for her to stand was drained from her. She questioned her motives behind separating her daughter from Prince Endymion if it felt so wrong to even her but the thought of her precious Sere collapsing over his decapitated body, both lifeless, she could not bear. She took two deep breaths to stop the tears she felt prickling behind her eyes and repetitively told herself she was doing the correct thing. She was saving two lives, two very important and valued lives.

-.-.-.-.-.-

A young girl, no older than thirteen bounded through the hallway nearly knocking the prince over as he exited the conference room. She slammed into him, taking whatever breath he had left from him. The girl leaned into him from the force of direction she was going and the sudden stop disturbed her balance. He held on tight to her to keep her from hitting the hard tile of the floor below, a girl wearing a silken gown who was as pale as she did not belong on the ground.

"Oh gosh!" she exclaimed bringing a hand to her head, "I am so sorry!" Then she laughed.

She straightened up, the top of her head barely reaching Endymion's diaphragm. The girl's hair was strange, shoulder length with straight bangs across her forehead that seemed about an inch too short but accented her features nicely. Her eyes were a deep violet, much more pronounced than the people of Mars.

He rested one hand on his stomach and the other hand out in front of him as if to keep his distance from her, Prince Endymion said, "It is okay. Just be careful from now on!"

She nodded her head.

"Hotaru!" an older boy shouted as he rounded the corner.

Her violet eyes widened and a small squeal escaped her lips, "Oh, I have to hide somewhere! My brother is going to kill me! I guess that's what I get for slipping him a jalapeno in his food. Who knew they could be so hot?" The last part of her sentence faded away down the hall as she scurried off as her brother calmly walked closer.

"Sorry about my sister, she can be boisterous at times."

Endymion looked behind him where Hotaru had run off to tiny claps of her heels could still be heard echoing off the hallway walls. He shrugged. "It's really okay, I have a couple sisters; I know what it can be like."

"I am Prince Raiden of Saturn." He held out his hand, Endymion hesitated half a second before he clasped the man's hand to shake. "That was my beautiful sister, Hotaru who lovingly placed a ripe jalapeno in my soup. Have you ever had one of those things? They burn your mouth!"

Prince Endymion hid his chuckle. "They are best pickled."

"Really?"

Endymion nodded for some strange reason he found pleasure in the fact that this boy in front of him found a little pain in eating that jalapeno. It did not do Raiden justice for the pain he was about to cause Endymion. The prince shook his head as that thought crossed his mind, just what was he thinking? How could this boy cause him pain? There was no interference between the two, even if he was the one who would be marrying Princess Serenity in the next year or two. He sighed, if this is what was bothering him, maybe the queen knew something that he did not.

"Anyway," Raiden said when he realized Endymion was not going to say anything else. "I was not following my sister really. I was summoned to speak with the queen."

The dark headed prince's eyes narrowed as Raiden slipped into the room Endymion had left moments before. Prince Raiden would be granted the one thing Endymion was just now realizing he wanted. Ironic in a sense that he had to have the one person who denied him the pleasure was the one who pointed it out to him.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Queen Serenity had composed herself, just barely, when Prince Raiden entered the room. He was tall, lean and pale with long brown hair and those amazing violet eyes only those of Saturn had. She smiled as she gestured for him to sit down across from her and begin the business that would change her daughter's fate.

Clearing her throat, Queen Serenity spoke, "I have talked to your father about this already when I was on my way back from Pluto. He agreed to send you to talk personally with me. Did he mention what it was about?"

Raiden shifted in his chair. "Yes, he said I was to be betrothed to the princess."

"Yes," the Queen smiled again. "We have made arrangements for the two of you. Tomorrow night, at the eve of her party, your engagement will be announced and by her eighteenth birthday, you two will be married."

It was hard to get the last part out but she could not act as if the engagement would never be sealed. Tradition had it that once a royal engagement was announced, a year's time would pass before the two betrothed would be married. At the moment, the queen was not sure that a full year would pass before the war would begin. However, she had hopes and she could not worry anyone else.

"Will I get to meet her before tomorrow night?"

"I sent for her before you arrived," Queen Serenity looked towards the door as if her daughter should appear any second.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Princess Serenity meandered through the hallways towards her mother's conference room. She knew that she would be introduced to her future and because of that, and her nerves, she did not make a rush of getting to where she should be. Last night her mother told her the universe as they knew it was soon to be destroyed and she was not too interested in acting like everything was okay for everyone else in the kingdom whom would be unaware. Her mother tried to explain to her that they could not scare their subjects, it would do no good and cause more chaos than not if they had informed them of a war that might not happen for another year or two.

She sighed. This was so strange, knowing the future. Princess Serenity was glad she was not the Keeper of Time herself because she did not understand how one person could keep all that information to herself. As she turned the corner to proceed down the last hallway, Serenity spotted Prince Endymion and felt slight disappointment that he was not the person behind the doors waiting for her to enter so they could pledge a marriage.

Serenity shook her head, no, she could not think that way because she did not even know the prince that well. How could she be so sure he was the one she should be matched up with? Her mother even said she knew who to pick. However, Princess Serenity still stopped and watched Endymion until he disappeared at the end of the hallway. Taking a deep breath Serenity opened the door to find her mother and someone who was even more of a stranger than Prince Endymion waiting for her to enter.

"Serenity, this is Prince Raiden of Saturn," the queen stated once her daughter shut the door behind her. "Prince Raiden, my daughter Serenity."

The young woman forced herself to smile as she took Prince Raiden into her senses. She sat across from him as her mother started talking about the announcement tomorrow of their engagement—engagement?—and the wedding—wedding?—that would take place next year on her eighteenth birthday. Serenity listened to all of this with a smile on her face while deep down she felt, despite what her mother told her last night, this was not the right thing.

---

_Prince Raiden is my character. I wanted a different romance interest than Seiya (done him a time or two) or Demande (I've done him as well). I really hope you didn't think that Queen Serenity was going to allow Endymion and Serenity to be together. I tried to hint at it a couple times in the last chapter--at least she isn't going to allow it easily. Anyway, that's all I wanted to say._

_I'm trying to use all the senshi (inners and outers) in this story. I think I have at least mentioned them all if I haven't had them in the actual story. If I'm missing anyone let me know._

_Oh, and as for the jalapeno scene, I was just trying to show how each planet has their own crops and plants and food. The jalapeno would have been imported from Earth to the moon and Prince Raiden, without a palate for earthy foods, was not prepared of the heat a jalapeno. Every planet has different immunities, tastes, etc. Plus, I wanted to show the lightness of Hotaru before she becomes the senshi of death. In the next part of my story, I might make her more of a dark character because of what she'll experience._

_Raiden's name means thunder and lightening. I looked up what Hotaru meant and I found that it meant lightening as well as firefly. So, yeah. I tried to have their names match in meaning as close as I could and with a male Japanese name and Raiden is what I found._

_Thank you for reading!_


End file.
